News, notes, scores, photos and videos from Week 6 of the high school football season.
No one in the WPIAL has earned the kind of perspective on playing Penn Hills like Jon LeDonne has over the past near decade.
For the second-year Pine-Richland coach — who earned a 46-13 record and WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2018 over five seasons at Penn Hills — his former program’s reputation lived up to his expectations Friday night at Pine-Richland Stadium.
“We always know we’re going to get a physical game when we play Penn Hills,” LeDonne said. “They’re going to come out and leave it all on the field.”
After Penn Hills erased a 21-point deficit in the third quarter, Pine-Richland came alive in the fourth to earn a 31-21 victory over the visiting Indians to clinch a Class 5A postseason berth and at least a share of a Northeast Conference championship.
“This is kind of the last group of guys that are there from when we were there,” said LeDonne of Penn Hills. “To not see them grow up, but to see them mature and have success, it’s always tough when we play them. They’re coming to prove a point, too. They left it all out on the field.
“It’s another big conference win for us.”
Pine-Richland (7-0, 4-0) stayed ahead of second-place North Hills (6-1, 2-1) and Penn Hills (3-4, 2-1) in the conference standings. The Rams defeated North Hills, 29-24, in Week 3 and will wrap up their conference schedule with a game against Shaler (2-5, 0-2) to close out the regular season.
“We just want to continue to get better, but also at the same time look forward to trying to get a couple guys healthy over these next few non-conference weeks,” LeDonne said.
On Friday night, though, the game belonged to Pine-Richland quarterback Aaron “Oobi” Strader — especially late.
Strader capped his team’s 10-point fourth quarter with a victory-sealing 34-yard touchdown run. He completed 8-of-15 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Kicker Grant Argiro also converted a 25-yard field goal for the Rams in the fourth quarter.
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound sophomore Strader completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Neals and a 21-yard scoring strike to Jay Timmons, son of former Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons.
Strader also guided Pine-Richland to a 16-9 victory over Penn Hills in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals a season ago.
“He’s just a gamer,” said LeDonne of Strader. “He’s used to the big-time moments, grew up on them, and grew up thriving and succeeding on them. We know that when it’s his time, he’s going to answer.”
Running back Maclane Miller also rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries for the Rams.
Devin Harris paced the Penn Hills offense by throwing for 132 yards and scoring touchdowns on runs of 8 and 30 yards.
Running back Naytel Mitchell scored the Indians’ other touchdown on a 2-yard, third-quarter run.
“Our guys got kind of lax when we got a 21-point lead,” LeDonne said. “We were able to recover there in the second half.”
UPPER ST. CLAIR GROUND GAME, DEFENSE DOMINANT AGAIN
Julian Dahlem rushed for a game-high 174 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, while John Banbury added 147 yards on 13 carries on the ground for good measure, as Upper St. Clair (7-0, 2-0) held South Fayette scoreless for three quarters before emerging with a 17-7 Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference victory. Drew Welhorsky completed 11-of-18 passes for 180 yards and a 37-yard touchdown pass to Alex Deanes for the Lions (6-1, 1-1).
ART WALKER GETS LANDMARK VICTORY AS NORTH ALLEGHENY PREVAILS
North Allegheny coach Art Walker earned his 250th career victory as the Tigers needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to escape with a 28-21 victory at Mt. Lebanon in a Class 6A Quad-County Conference contest. Running back Luke Rohan rushed for a game-high 148 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (6-1, 3-1), while quarterback Brady Brinkley passed for 79 yards and a score and added 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Quarterback Patrick Smith threw for 141 yards and two touchdowns for Mt. Lebanon (1-6, 1-3) and also rushed for 111 yards and a score.
PETERS TOWNSHIP COMES ON STRONG LATE FOR WIN
Peters Township overcame a slow offensive output early — the Indians racked up only 70 yards of total offense in the first half — before emerging with a 23-14 victory over Moon in a Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference contest. Quarterback Nolan DiLucia threw for 154 yards to lead Peters Township (6-1, 1-1), while Nick McCullough returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and Nick Courie added a fourth-quarter safety to wrap up the Indians victory. Andrew Cross threw for 139 yards and a touchdown for Moon (3-3, 0-2).
PFEUFFER, MOORE DO IT AGAIN FOR BETHEL PARK
Tanner Pfeuffer completed 11-of-18 passes for 216 yards and five touchdowns, while running back JaVaughn Moore rushed for 114 yards and two scores on just seven carries, to lead Bethel Park (7-0, 2-0) to a commanding 56-6 victory over Baldwin. Highlanders (0-7, 0-2) running back Devin Taylor rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown to account for his team’s lone points.
BELLE VERNON BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD WITH 68 POINTS IN WIN
Quarterback Curtis Wade completed 5-of-5 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, while Kole Doppelheuer rushed for 126 yards and two scores, as Belle Vernon set a school record for points scored in a single game with a 68-21 Class 4A Big Six Conference victory over Chartiers Valley (3-3, 1-1). Deaubre Lighfoot caught a 49- and 60-yard touchdown pass from Wade for the Leopards (2-3, 1-1).
KISKI RUNS OVER LATROBE FOR UPSET WIN
Kiski Area used a 21-point third quarter and held Latrobe scoreless in the second half to earn a 36-13 upset victory in a Class 5A Big East Conference contest. Quarterback Carson Heinle threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns but also rushed for 104 yards on 12 carries, and Landon Kucic contributed 131 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries to lead Kiski (2-5, 1-3) past Latrobe (4-3, 1-3). Wide receiver Aven Shirley caught three passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns for Kiski. John Wetzel threw for 169 yards and a touchdown for Latrobe, which also got five catches for 132 yards a score from Penn State linebacker recruit Alex Tatsch.
SIEG DOMINANT AGAIN FOR FORT CHERRY
Quarterback Matt Sieg completed 7-of-10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns and added 153 yards and a score on 23 carries on the ground as Fort Cherry knocked off Cornell, 35-6, in a Class 1A Black Hills Conference matchup. The Rangers stayed atop the conference, while Cornell (5-2, 2-2) fell behind Bishop Canevin (5-1, 3-0).
PUP BITES
- Southmoreland (6-1, 2-0) surged for 32 fourth-quarter points to emerge with a 53-24 victory over Yough in a Class 3A Interstate Conference game. Scotties quarterback Anthony Smith passed for 215 yards and three touchdowns, while Camren Phillips rushed for 131 yards and another three scores and wide receiver Elliot Premus added six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Running back Raidon Kuroda rushed for 120 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries for the Cougars (2-5, 0-2).
- Senior running back Tasso Whipple rushed for 249 yards on 28 carries as Penn-Trafford knocked off Gateway, 32-13. Warriors (6-2, 3-1) quarterback Johnny Lovre passed for touchdowns passes of 53 and 7 yards to Jack Weishaar and also rushed for a 1-yard score. The Gators (3-5, 2-3) were led by quarterback Elvis Koutsakis, who threw for 135 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
- Trenton Grooms rushed for 114 yards on 26 carries, which included a 4-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown, to lead Washington (4-3, 2-1) to a 26-25 Class 2A Century Conference victory over Keystone Oaks. Prexies quarterback Tristan Reed completed three passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, all to wide receiver Caleb Patton. Brenden Quarles, who rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns, and Billy Bricker, who added 184 yards and a score on the ground, paced the Eagles (3-3, 3-1).
- Quarterback Cam Walter threw for 140 yards and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Scoop Smith caught six passes for 105 yards and three scores to lead Woodland Hills to a comfortable 36-6 victory over Armstrong in a Class 5A Big East Conference showdown at Wolvarena. Smith also returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown for the Wolverines (5-2, 3-0). Quarterback Jaydon Oliver threw for 218 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the River Hawks (2-5, 0-3).
THREE STARS
*** — Armand Hill, West Mifflin. The West Mifflin workhorse rushed for 241 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries in the Titans’ 40-20 loss against McKeesport in a Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference contest.
** — Kyle Dupill, Franklin Regional. The running back carried the ball 22 times for 272 yards and four touchdowns to lead Franklin Regional to a 51-14 non-conference victory over Fox Chapel. Dupill scored on runs of 32, 68, 3 and 30 yards for the Panthers (6-1, 3-0) against overmatched Fox Chapel (1-5, 0-3).
* — Samir Crosby, Greensburg Central Catholic. The quarterback completed 10-of-16 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 150 yards and three scores on 20 carries to lead Greensburg Central Catholic to a 44-27 victory over Jeannette in the Class 1A Eastern Conference clash. The Centurions (4-2, 3-1) won their third in a row and the Jayhawks (4-3, 1-3) lost their third consecutive game.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
SCOREBOARD
CLASS 6A
Quad-County Conference
Hempfield 34, Norwin 28
North Allegheny 28, Mt. Lebanon 21
Seneca Valley 31, Canon-McMillan 30
CLASS 5A
Allegheny Six Conference
Bethel Park 56, Baldwin 6
Peters Township 23, Moon 14
Upper St. Clair 17, South Fayette 7
Big East Conference
Woodland Hills 36, Armstrong 6
Kiski Area 36, Latrobe 6
Penn-Trafford 32, Gateway 13
Northeast Conference
Pine-Richland 31, Penn Hills 21
North Hills 21, Plum 14
CLASS 4A
Big Six Conference
Belle Vernon 68, Chartiers Valley 21
Laurel Highlands 21, Ringgold 6
Thomas Jefferson 27, Trinity 7
Greater Allegheny Conference
Hampton 34, Indiana 7
Mars 42, Knoch 7
McKeesport 40, West Mifflin 20
Parkway Conference
Blackhawk 29, Ambridge 21
Montour 51, New Castle 6
Aliquippa 19, West Allegheny 7
CLASS 3A
Allegheny 7 Conference
Burrell 15, Valley 6
Freeport 28, Highlands 7
Imani Christian 71, East Allegheny 0
Interstate Conference
Elizabeth Forward 56, Derry Area 14
Mount Pleasant 28, Greensburg Salem 21
Southmoreland 53, Yough 34
Western Hills Conference
Avonworth 46, Quaker Valley 7
Hopewell 56, McGuffey 24
Central Valley 46, North Catholic 38
CLASS 2A
Allegheny Conference
Steel Valley 55, Apollo-Ridge 10
South Allegheny 56, Shady Side Academy 22
Century Conference
Waynesburg Central 27, Carlynton 26, OT
Seton LaSalle 49, Sto-Rox 0
Washington 26, Keystone Oaks 25
Midwestern Conference
Mohawk 35, New Brighton 19
Riverside 14, Freedom 0
CLASS 1A
Big 7 Conference
Rochester 49, Shenango 28
South Side Beaver 36, Northgate 35, OT
Black Hills Conference
Bishop Canevin 42, Serra Catholic 0
Fort Cherry 35, Cornell 6
Monessen 14, Chartiers-Houston 7
Eastern Conference
Brentwood 42, Riverview 35
Clairton 70, Springdale 0
Greensburg Central Catholic 44, Jeannette 27
Leechburg 62, Frazier 16
Tri-County South Conference
Avella 49, Mapletown 0
West Greene 36, Bentworth 33
California 44, Carmichaels 8
Jefferson-Morgan 35, Beth-Center 8
City League
Perry Traditional Academy 28, Brashear 6
Non-Conference
Beaver Area 42, Deer Lakes 0
Central Catholic 56, Shaler 7
Franklin Regional 51, Fox Chapel 14
University, W.Va., 17, Butler 13
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.